Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Chapter
Two
Hennessy: When someone shows you who they are, believe them.
Unable to resist, I asked, “Whose estate is this?”
He eyed me cautiously for a second. “It belongs to your uncle’s best friend.”
I thought about it for a second. “Your answers only raise more questions, Alfred. So I’m guessing he’s a king, or is he a god? Because from the feel of it, he’s the Grim Reaper.”
I wasn’t joking, and he didn’t deny it.
Leaning into my theory, he cautioned, “You’ll learn soon enough, miss.”
I inhaled a deep, reassuring breath until I called him out. “You have a habit of saying a lot without actually saying anything. Everything you say sounds like a warning.”
“I’m just preparing you, miss.”
“For what, exactly? My tío or the Graves?”
“All of the above and to add, everything in-between.”
I slowly nodded, catching on. “It’s the in-between that I don’t like, so how about you tell me what I’m about to walk into?”
The corner of his lip curved. “Where would the fun be in that?”
“Ah, I see… you’re just a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
He grabbed the labels of his jacket, proudly confirming, “I’m wearing a suit.” Opening his door next, he let me out before he added, “Good luck, Miss Belladonna. You’re going to need it.”
“Wait!” I snapped once I was standing outside. “You’re leaving me here by myself?”
“Miss, I don’t belong here.”
My gaze went wide. “And I do?”
He shrugged, making his way to his car door, yelling over his shoulder, “One way or another, you’re about to find out.”
After I warily watched him leave, my eyes drifted upward to an iron crest mounted on the highest peak of the mansion. It was a sea serpent. Its body was coiled around an old crest bearing the name “Devereaux.”
This wasn’t just an ornament or a design feature. It was a symbol of power that was established before you even crossed the threshold. Houses like these usually held ghosts and trauma, which I was more than familiar with.
My fingers instinctively glided over the smooth red-and-black seeds my grandmother had strung together into a bracelet before I left, saying it’d protect me from el mal de ojo, the evil eye. I believed in its power, and that belief was what gave it strength. In the same way the sea serpent crest was meant to.
I already knew so much about this property, and I had yet to walk into it. Although it wasn’t the estate that worried me, it was the people who lived in it that had me hesitating.
Squaring my shoulders, I climbed the uneven stone steps, each one echoing beneath my feet, mimicking the beat of my heart. The massive iron doors loomed over me, framed by battered columns covered in ivy that had withstood centuries. Before I could second-guess myself, I reached for the cold brass handle, but it opened for me.
I didn’t make sense of the massive foyer as voices exploded from somewhere beyond the grand staircase.
They yelled, “SURPRISE!”
And damn was I…
I flinched, and my hand flew to my chest as a chorus of cheers boomed through the walls toward me. Strangers spilled into the foyer from every direction, smiling, laughing, and raising their glasses like they’d known me forever.
My pulse hammered against my ribs, and I quickly realized this party was for none other than me. Everyone was dressed to the nines, wearing gowns and tuxedos with expensive jewelry that cost more than anything I’d ever seen. It seemed as if the entire Academy was in attendance, including its students, families, and faculty.
It was the group of girls gathered around the bar who caught my attention first. There were five of them, beautiful in the kind of way that was effortless. They stood in a circle as if they owned the room without ever asking for permission.
Yet despite the gossip spilling between them, none of them looked relaxed. Every pair of eyes was on me. One of the girls, a stunning redhead with green eyes, was absentmindedly tracing the rim of her champagne flute as she studied me with quiet curiosity.
Another one, the blond-haired girl with blue eyes, had her arms crossed over her chest with an unreadable expression beneath a perfected smile.
The redhead tilted her head ever so slightly, reminding me of how you’d look if you were trying to solve a puzzle, one you’d been waiting years to finish.
Does she know me?
The other two girls looked amused, like they’d been placing bets on how long I’d survive there.
The redhead never smiled at all. She simply held my gaze, unwavering, making my pulse flutter a little faster with her intense composure.
They weren’t exactly hostile, but they weren’t welcoming either. It felt less like a greeting and more like an initiation.
To what exactly?
They knew something I didn’t. And somehow, I had an unsettling feeling they weren’t the only ones.
“Hennessy,” Tío Luis exclaimed, snapping my attention to him. He appeared from within the crowd, pulling me into a tight hug, firm against his chest as he kissed my cheek. “Mi niña,” he whispered, “my girl,” in my ear. “I’ve waited a long time for this moment. I’m so happy you’re finally here.” He hugged me as if I belonged there with him, embracing me as though he meant it.